East Bengal will have a great chance to get their first win in the AFC Champions League 2 when they take on Al-Seeb of Oman in an away match on Tuesday.
Though they will play away from home, East Bengal can draw confidence from the fact that the Omani club has struggled so far in the tournament, losing both their matches and lying at the bottom of Group D.
East Bengal, on the other hand, are in third place in the four-team group, having drawn one and lost one so far.
The equations could have been vastly different had East Bengal not blown away a 2-1 lead against Al-Shorta of Iraq in their last game. That was a home match and East Bengal, coached by Antonio Lopez Habas, were in a great position to shock their fancied opponents. However, East Bengal went on to lose the game 2-3 and Al-Shorta, with two wins from two matches, currently top the group standings.
Having been thrashed 0-3 at home in their previous game, against Al-Hussein, Al-Seeb will surely be shaky when they face East Bengal, who, despite losing their last match, have played encouraging football.
East Bengal will also be upbeat because of their great start in the Indian Super League. Defending champions East Bengal have secured consecutive away victories — a 4-0 triumph over Churchill Brothers FC in Goa followed by a 5-1 win over Inter Kashi FC in Pune — in the ISL.
With a spring in their step, Habas will hope his boys excel in their transitions and creativity to surprise the Omani team.
However, the visitors will also have to be cautious not to slip into a state of overconfidence as that could lead to defensive lapses. A compact defensive shape is essential in an away game.
“The strength of this squad lies in our unity —everyone plays for the badge. Coach Habas has built an incredible team spirit inside the dressing room. Having scored the opening goal four times already this season, I take my responsibility as a senior player seriously. We have a crucial game ahead in Oman. Despite the gruelling schedule, champions don’t make excuses. We’re heading there to bring home all three points,” said East Bengal’s Dani Ramirez, who scored against Kashi. Ake Arnaud Loba also sounded determined to make a difference. “We played well in our first two ACL Two group matches, but couldn’t secure a victory. Hence, this away fixture in Oman is our chance to set things right,” said Loba, who scored twice against Kashi.
Lukasz Zwolinski, too, is focused on the task. “The more minutes I get, the faster I’ll adapt to the conditions here. We face Al-Seeb in Oman next, and it’s a must-win match for us in the ACL Two.”
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